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Monday, 19 May 2014

Operation Sting by Simon Cheshire

Review by The Mole

Swarm is a group of micro-biotic robots that is the latest weapon in the Secret Intelligence Agency's arsenal. The trouble is that it's so new it's full potential isn't known nor how to use it most efficiently. During the trials they protect a man carrying a top secret weapon that is so secret no-one knows it exists so cannot be interested in stealing it. But that's what happens and despite the Swarm's best efforts they manage to get away with it. In order to ensure that Swarm has a future they need to redeem themselves.

As I read this story I found that I constantly imagined that it was a children's TV series I was watching. I even cast some of the characters! The real characters in the book of course are the Swarm and each of the highly sophisticated robots has it's own voice and character. The story line, though never in doubt that they will redeem themselves, is not as obvious as I expected and some blind alleys are created.

At only 144 pages long there isn't a great deal of time to really get to know them and pick a champion but I'm sure the young readers will soon have a favourite. There is something about the writing and story line that says this series could so easily become a cult and clearly the publisher feels this way too as there are trading cards to go with it all. Although aimed at the 9-11 readership the story is all action with very low level violence (where needed) and so is suitable for any child who can cope with the vocabulary and lack of pictures so advanced readers as young as 7 would thoroughly enjoy it.

The second book (Project Venom) comes out in July.

A really great action adventure series for youngsters that, hopefully, will become a cult.